PIPE questions for Linux 2.4 setup

We wanted to increase PIPE_SIZE (from 4K to 8K on linux 2.4 on an AMD LX800 system).
The result is a segmentation error as soon as Read() is reading more data than 4K from the pipe.
So pipe data seems to be damaged.
If we change PIPE_SIZE back tot 4K everything is running fine.
Question-1: Any suggestion to prevent this segmentation error ?

* PIPE_SIZE
If you look in the linux kernel code for PIPE_SIZE
("include/linux/pipe_fs_i.h") you find:
#define PIPE_SIZE PAGE_SIZE
I don't know if #define PIPE_SIZE PAGE_SIZE is necessary or just a simple shortcut.
Question-2: Is it OK if PIPE_SIZE > PAGE_SIZE ?

* PAGE_SIZE
Question-3: Is it OK to increase Page_size on linux 2.4 on AMD LX800 system ?
Which aspects are limiting the user to config the PAGE_SIZE ?